Also Paragliding, Ice Skating, Dog sledging, Bowling, Bridge, Health and Beauty info, see below
1. The British Alpine Ski School (BASS) of Les Gets & Morzine
This has a good reputation with obvious advantages of language for English speakers. Sometimes they can be a little difficult to get hold of as they dont have the big office that the ESF have and they are sometimes more expensive than the ESF, but all those people I have spoken to who have used them thought they were very good.
Telephone: England:- 01485-572596 Les Gets:- 0033-450-79-85-42
Web site: www.britishskischool.com/lesgets.htm
Prices (2005) vary depending on your course, but typically £71 for 4hours / £91 for 6hours adult groups up to 6; £89 for 5hours child groups of up to 4 aged 4-5, £99 for 10hours child groups of up to 8 aged 6-8 years. Individual private lessons £59/hr, offers available
These details & prices are believed to be correct but their accuracy is not guaranteed
2. Ecole du Ski Francais (ESF) of France
Telephone: 0033-450-75-80-03 Fax: 0033-450-75-81-51 Web site: www.esf-lesgets.com
Prices (winter 2005) based on an approx exchange rate of 1.4E to £1 are:
6 half days (morning or afternoon) adult - £71, child (under 16) - £64,
6 full days adult - £114, child (under 16) - £102
Private lessons (1 to 2 persons): approx £19 per hour (outside normal group lesson times) or £22 (within group lesson times)
Ask the ESF about guided snow walks (£12, lasts 3 hours), langlauf (ski de fond) courses, cross country skiing (18km of marked pistes access £2-£3 per day), off pisting and heliskiing aswell.
The ESF is pretty well organised and large, and so you can normally just pitch up on Saturday afternoon or early Sunday morning and just book your children in unless its half term or New year. Most people opt for 6 mornings running from Sunday to Friday normally from 9.30am to 12.30 pm. Most children do fine in the French Ski school - nearly all instructors speak fair English and a lot of early learning is by copying anyway. Children are accepted from the age of 3 but you might want to wait untill they are 4, it depends on the child's coordination. The infants are in a sort of pre-ski school garden, do a lot of shuffling around which gets them used to the skis, there's a little rope pull or travellator (very slow moving carpet) and usually learn to do a snow plough and turn each way by the end of the week. You often see parents hanging around to see if their child is OK but I think it's generally better to stay out of sight and let them get on with it. Other parents are gone quite quickly -mainly because 3 hours goes in a flash! As for older children, they start you a bit higher up the mountain and they all seem to progress quite fast. Children under 5 dont need a ski lift pass; you can buy a lift pass from the ESF office if you're buying lessons too, otherwise you have to go the ticket office just below the red Chavannes bubble lift (telecabin). There are also other small ski schools dotted about the main ski shops as follows, and of course if you want private lessons, every Frenchman you meet seems to be a part time instructor!
3. Ecole de Ski Plus
Telephone: 0033-450-75-86-01. They also do parapenting, off pisting and heliskiing.
Prices Winter 2001-2002, private lessons are £21 per hour (1 to 2 people), 6 x 2hr group lessons £85 (6 people max)
4. Ecole de ski 360 International
Telephone: 0033-450-79-80-31
Prices Winter 2001-2002, private lessons are £19 per hour (1 to 2 people), 6 x 2hr group lessons £64 (8 people max)
5. Ecole de Ski Espace
Telephone: 0033-450-79-74-04
Parapente (Paragliding)
This is very poplar in Les Gets, you will see people paragliding virtually every day in Winter and Summer. If you want to try it call Evasion Sports for a course (00 33 450-79-70-90) or a one off flight (with an instructor flying it, I'd recommend) is about £38. Ecole Ski Plus (00-33-450-75-86-01) and Air Libre (00-33-450-79-87-06) also do flights for £39.
Ice Skating
The rink is in the centre of town opposite the Marie (town hall)
Children up to 5 years are free and can borrow skates for free. Skate hire for everyone else is about £2.
5-15 year olds: about £1.50 per go or 10 go's for £27 including skate hire.
Adults (16 plus): about £2 per go or 10 go's for £30 including skate hire.
Dog Sledging (Chiens de traineau)
Booking required on 00-33-450-25-88-63. One day on the sledge costs about £75. If you try it please tell me so I can tell everybody else what it's like!
Bowling and Bridge
Bowling and billiards (00-33-450-79-87-77) is open from 5pm to 2am (or from 3pm if the weather's bad) is located further down the main street, keep walking and you'll see it on the right hand side. The Bridge club meets every Wednesday at 8.15pm at the Salle La Colombiere (Village Hall) which is at the top end of town about half way between the Petrol Station and the Mont Cherie Telecabin on that same side of the road. Again, please tell me how you get on!
Health and Beauty Salons
Swimming pool, sauna, muscle toning room £12 at the Hotel Marmotte, down the road a little and on the opposite side of the road from the Chavannes Telecabin. Also Hydro massage, thermal wraps?, hammam?, relaxation massage, manual lymph drainage, pressure therapy!? thalgoslim? cocooning! body contouring? etc. at a price. Open 10am to 12.30, 4pm to 9pm.
and if you're really short of something to do you can watch cheese-making on wednesday morning at 8.30 am for free, or visit a goat farm on wednesday evening at 5pm for £3. Please ask for details.